Jaw-coupling.



N0. 777,752.- I PATENTED DEC. 20, 1904.

L. SGHEIB, JR. & L. SGHEIB, Sn.

JAW COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED we. 2. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

no MODEL.

UNTTED STATES Patented December 20, 1904.

LUDWVIG SOHEIB, JR, AND LUDWIG SCHEIB,

SR, OF KAISERSLAUTERN,

GERMANY.

dAW-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 777,752, dated December20, 1904. Application filed August 2, 1904. Serial No. 219,239.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LUDWIG SoHnIB, J r., and LUDWIG Sonnnz, Sr.,engineers, subjects of His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, residing atKaiserslautern, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in or Relating to J aw-(Jouplings; and we do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a jaw-coupling which is arranged between thebuffers and is provided with a vertically-swinging locking arm or catchand with a device for automatically opening the jaws.

The essential advantages of the improved coupling as compared with thosehitherto employed consists in the fact that that half of the completecoupling which is not unlocked automatically unlocks and opens when thecars are separated, while both the couplingheads automatically lock andclose when the cars are run together. Consequently coupling-heads cannotcome into contact with each other in a locked or closed position, andinjury to the coupling from this cause, a matter of frequent occurrence,is obviated.

In the annexed drawings, in which similar letters refer to correspondingparts in all the figures, Figure 1 shows in part-sectional plan twocoupling 'heads with the jaws closed. Figs. 2 and 3 are transversesections of these heads, Fig. 2 being a section taken in front of theweighted swinging arm it, which throws the coupling-jaw outward, andFig. 3 a section taken in front of the locking-arm e, which locks thecoupling-jaws. Fig. 4c is a similar 7 view to Fig. 1, showing the jawsopen and the coupling-heads disengaged. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are viewsillustrative of the hand-operated device by means of which thelockingarm 0 is released.

a is the coupling-head of the usual form, and c is the coupling-jaw,which has an arm (Z extending at about right angles from it and whichoscillates on the pivot or pin Z, passed through the bearing Z, providedon the head. Within the said head i journaled a rock-shaft g, whichcarries the locking-arm c and the le- 5 0 ver f. The locking-arm 6 actsin a similar manner to the vertically-rotating catch usually employed inconnection with jaw-couplings, and both it and the lever f are soadjusted in relation to one another that the latter extends obliquelyupward when the lockingarm is in the horizontal locking position.

Between the locking-arm e and the lever f a weighted arm it is freelypivoted on the shaft g, the function of this matically swing the jaw 0into its open position when the coupling-heads are moved apart. l/Vhenthe jaw 0 is in its closed position, the arm It bears, as seen in Fig.2, upon the arm (Z, of which or inclined, and so soon as the jaw isunlocked the weight of the arm ZL on the inclined face of the arm (Zforces the jaw 0 outward. So long as the locking-arm e and the lever fare left to themselvesthat is to say, so long 7 as they are in theirlowest positionthe arm (Z can move freely past the locking-arm 6 intothe open position, and the coupling is in consequence not locked.Similarly, the arm (Z moves freely when the locking-arme is raised toits extreme position. fore only be locked when are in their intermediatetions. If new the cars another, the lever f,

The jaws can therethe locking-arms c or horizontal posiare run towardone bearing 6 of the other coupling-head coming into contact with it,and will be retained in that position while the locking-arm c iss1multaneously raised to its intermediate locking 5 ward may by engagingwith this inclined 9 edge assist in raising the locking-arm c to itsintermediate position. The arm (Z when swinging in to the closedposition raises at the same time by means of its inclined surface theweighted arm 72 which the arm (Z until the coupling is released.

be caused to the wall by the impact of the Any injury likely to of thehead or casing (Z arm it being to auto- 60 latter one face or edge isbeveled 5 which extends obliquely 8O Vupward, will be swung upward,owing to the remains resting upon arm 72, thereon when swung upward onthe cars being run violently together may be neutralized or considerablyreduced by the provision of a suitable buffer, such as a spring,india-rubber, wood, or the like. To facilitate the swinging of the arm(Z into position, it may be furnished with the curved guidepiece 21,along which the jaw c of the opposite head slides.

To insure that the lever f shall be swung upward to its correct positionwhen the cars are run together, even should the two coupling-heads benot absolutely on a level with each other, the head of the bolt Z maybesuitably extended to form, as it were, a prolongation of the bearing 5,through which it passes.

If the locking-ar1n c of one coupling-head is moved, as by the releasingdevice hereinafter described, the coupling becomes released and the carscan be moved apart, with the result that the lever f of the other headis freed and falls, together with the locking-arm thereby releasing thearm (Z, and this latter being no longer prevented from movingfreely theweighted arm it comes into action, and in consequence of its weightpressing against the inclined face of the arm (Z swings the jaw coutward into the open position. Both halves of the coupling are nowconsequently unlocked and ready for use. The heads cannot possibly comeinto contact with each other in a locked position, as the locking-arms acan only assume the position in which they lock the jaws after both thecoupling-heads have been pushed together.

The device for releasing the locking-arm from engagement with the arm (Zof the coupling-jaw, which is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6,

' and 7, comprises a shaft 0, journaled transversely of the car and insuitable bracket-bearings and having crank-handles at its extremities, alever m, mounted freely on the shaft 0 and connected by the link Z withthe lockingarm 0, and a projection a, fixed to the shaft 0, which whenthe latter is rotated through half a revolution engages the under sideof the lever m and raises the latter, thereby moving the locking-arm aupward out of engagement with the arm (Z, as shown in Fig. 7. When thecoupling-heads have been disengaged, the releasing device is returned toits normal position, Fig. 5. The aforesaid projection .9 preferablyextends from a boss 72 keyed to the shaft 0, and slotted to receive theend of the lever m. freely on the shaft 0 and since there is a certainamount of lost motion when the latter is rotated to lift the lever onbefore the projection .9 engages with the latter, the lockingarm 0 willdrop to its lowest position when the couplings have been disengagedindependently of movement of the shaft 0. Acciden- Since the latter ismounted' tal lifting of the locking-arm a is prevented by the projections, which bears on the upper edge of m when a is in its locking position.Other suitable hand-operated means for releasing the locking-arm 0 maybeemployedsuch, :for example, as the chain t or rod t, Fig. 2-withoutdeparting from our invention.

hat we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. In a jaw-coupling the combination with a pivoted coupling-jaw havingan arm (Z provided with an inclined face extending therefrom and meansfor locking such jaw in its closed position,'of a weighted arm 71 whichrests on the inclined face of the arm (Z when the coupling is closed andby its weight swings the same outward. when the coupling is unlocked andits halves are moved apart, substantiall y as described and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a jaw-coupling, the combination of a head (1/, a coupling-jaw cpivoted therein and having an arm (Z extending from it, a rockshaft g, alocking-arm 6 extending therefrom which when in its intermediateposition locks the arm (Z aforesaid, a lever f also mounted on therock-shaft and actuated by the opposite coupling-head to bring thelocking-arm to its intermediate locking position when the cars are runtogether, a pivoted Weighted arm 72, which when the coupling-jaw isclosed bears on an inclined surface of its arm (Z and by its weightswings such arm to automatically open the coupling-jaw when thelocking-arm 0 has left its intermediate position, and means connectedwith said locking-arm to move the same from its locking position atwill, substantially as described.

3. In a jaw-coupling, the combination with a pivoted coupling-jaw and apivoted catch which when in its intermediate position holds thecoupling-jaw closed, of means for lifting such catch to release itcomprising the shaft 0 journaled transversely of the car end, a lever mmounted freely thereon, a link connecting the latter with thelocking-arm and a projection s fixed to the shaft 0 which engages withthe under side of the lever m to lift the same when the said shaft isrotated, the said projection .9 being so placed on shaft 0 that when thelatter is rotated there is a certain amount of lost motion before itengages the lever m to lift it, substantially as described and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence oftwo witnesses.

LUDWIG SGHEIB, JUNIOR. LUDWIG SGHEIB, SR.

WVitnesses:

KARL GRoF, MICHAEL ZIMMERMANN.

